19 July 2016•Update: 23 July 2016
By P Prem Kumar
KUALA LUMPUR
A high-speed rail (HSR) project linking Malaysia and Singapore is expected to be operational in 2026, with tenders slated to be called next month.
A memorandum of understanding on the mega-project was inked Tuesday in Malaysia's administrative capital Putrajaya, witnessed by Prime Minister Najib Razak and his Singaporean counter-part Lee Hsein Loong.
Speaking at a joint press conference, Razak said the memorandum would pave way for a joint project team of Malaysia's MyHSR Corp and Singapore's Land Transport Authority to draft a bilateral agreement with fine details on the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore project.
"This MoU will be superseded with a bilateral agreement between the two countries which is expected to be signed by end of the year," he said, from his official residence Seri Perdana.
"Once the bilateral agreement is signed, the joint project team will work on the preparation of tender for the HSR project which is expected to be issued next year."
The MoU also paves way for both countries to jointly call for an international tender in August 2016 to appoint a joint development partner to provide technical support on joint aspects of the project, including interface and integration matters.
No costs or funding mechanisms were announced, as Razak said it would be premature to announce cost based on current mechanisms, as the project's expected operation is in the next 10 years.
Both governments have agreed that each will take responsibility for developing, constructing and maintaining the civil infrastructure and stations within their own countries, which will be undertaken by MyHSR Corp and LTA, in Malaysia and Singapore respectively.
Both governments have also agreed that the HSR will consist of eight stations -- the termini in Bandar Malaysia and Singapore, and six intermediate stations in Malaysia -- Putrajaya, Seremban, Ayer Keroh, Muar, Batu Pahat and Iskandar Puteri.
The rail track length will be about 350 kilometers (217 miles) long, with a maximum speed of 350 kilometers per hour. The project was initially aimed to be operational by 2020, but was pushed back by Razak and Lee, citing its complexity.
It aims to cut travel time between two countries to a mere 90 minutes from five hours (by road).
It is estimated that the service will carry up to 49,000 passengers daily by its 10th year of operation, giving rise to annual rides of 17.9 million
